


Signs

by Koschei_Oakdown



Category: Green Lantern - All Media Types
Genre: Anger, Face Punching, Guilt, Hatred, Hostile, M/M, Nostalgia, Not Happy, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 17:36:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20661101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koschei_Oakdown/pseuds/Koschei_Oakdown
Summary: Sinestro's petty revenge takes Hal to Qward where he attempts to prove he cares less than Sinestro does. He fails.





	Signs

**Author's Note:**

> Credit to DC Comics

Being on Qward was always unnerving. The place was barren, empty and the atmosphere impressed upon Hal that he should not be here. But how else could he deal with Sinestro? Constantly, he had to combat Sinestro's persistent desire to be the most irritating thorn in his side - like recently.

This latest trick had most definitely been Sinestro's because it was pure evil. Every sign in Coast City had been painted yellow. And by every sign, Hal meant every sign. Street names, speed limits, stop signs - it was absolutely ridiculous and there didn't seem to be any purpose to it whatsoever. Other than winding Hal up, that was.

"Green Lantern," Sinestro announced and Hal spun around, ring rising up. His heart jolted when his ring brushed against Sinestro's chest. How had the arrogant renegade gotten so close without Hal realising?

That sharp yellow gaze was intense upon Hal and the hairs on the back of Hal's neck prickled. It always felt like he'd done something wrong when Sinestro looked at him like that, accusing and hurt and angry. Or was the sight of those emotions just Hal's imagination? His guilt manifesting itself into the reality he processed.

For a few brief seconds, Hal couldn't speak, the words stuck in his throat. There was a slight sneer to Sinestro's lips as he tilted his head to the side, as he studied Hal like the human was worth less than nothing to him.

"Sinestro is curious why one such as yourself would venture to a place like this," Sinestro said then and his tone was mocking. "Especially when there is paint in desperate need of getting cleaned up elsewhere." Vicious satisfaction crossed his face.

His words were infuriating. He had to know the amount of trouble his petty revenge was causing Hal's city. Cars crashing, people getting lost - the authorities seriously overworked. It was a disaster and Sinestro was pleased by it? Hal wanted to punch him.

Doing that, however, would only show Sinestro had managed to affect Hal which was probably what Sinestro wanted. So Hal forced himself not to attack, even lowered the ring he'd directed at Sinestro. "You're coming with me to fix that," Hal responded, and his voice was tight, not calm like he wanted it to be. Still, at least he wasn't obviously angry. Hopefully.

The lack of an angry reaction paid off and now it was Sinestro who was angry, visible in the way his nostrils flared. But he too refused to attack, his gaze instead burning into Hal. It gave Hal the distinct uncomfortable impression Sinestro knew everything he was thinking.

"You cannot take me to your universe." Cold and unpleasant, Sinestro practically laughed at the idea. "I am in exile. To remove me from here would be to violate the Guardians' sentence. You wouldn't want that, would you?" The last few words were spat out with surprising venom.

It was always the same story with Sinestro these days and Hal's anger melted away into contempt. No longer did Sinestro's dislike for the Guardians hold any weight. It never had. Sinestro was just bitter and pathetic and not someone Hal should ever waste any time on.

Maybe some of Hal's contempt had been visible in his expression because something made Sinestro snap. His expression clouded over and Hal vaguely remembered as though the information was from some entirely different life he'd once lived, that Sinestro hated to be dismissed. Hypocrite. But what did Hal know? He'd never really known Sinestro at all.

A tightly clenched fist struck out with incredible speed and precision, punching Hal square in the face. As his head snapped back, he wished he'd been the one to get in the first punch. Then he sprang into action.

With Sinestro being so angry, it was easy to get under his guard and send him crashing to the ground. There, Hal pinned him to the ground and he couldn't help himself. He grinned savagely, despite the pain in his face from where Sinestro had hit him. "Don't let your emotions control you, Sinestro. Didn't anyone ever tell you that?"

It was a reversal of the times Sinestro had sent Hal crashing to the ground when they sparred, of how Sinestro had always offered some smart comment to get under Hal's skin. A wave of familiarity and longing washed over Hal, despite himself, and his grin faded. If he could only forget everything that had happened since then and go back. He'd give anything.

But Sinestro wouldn't, Hal assumed. Sinestro's idea of a perfect life was ultimate power and control. Or something. Hal didn't really know what it might be. Anything other than telling the truth? Anything other than being the perfect Green Lantern Hal had thought he was? It really seemed that way.

Distracted by old memories, Hal's attention lapsed for a very brief moment but Sinestro still took advantage of it. He snatched his hand from Hal's grip and sent a punch towards the side of Hal's head this time.

It wouldn't take much to stop the blow, Hal knew and he bunched his own fist up, preparing to drive it into Sinestro's side. But then he hesitated as he imagined the force it would take to stop Sinestro. He'd have to break a few ribs at least and everything inside him recoiled from the thought of Sinestro's bones collapsing under his knuckles.

In Hal's small hesitation, Sinestro's fist connected and Hal's ears rang as he toppled over sideways. With a grunt, he landed on his back and he fiercely regretted his inaction. If their positions had been reversed, Sinestro would've broken his ribs without hesitation, would've happily watched Hal choke on his own blood. So why couldn't Hal have just done the same?

"You should not challenge those who are better than you," Sinestro told him, staring down his nose at Hal. "Did no one ever tell you that?" He was on his feet now, the perfect picture of triumph, and Hal was determined to bring him down.

Teeth gritted, Hal sprang up, ready to throw himself at Sinestro and show him just who was better. Forget power rings, he didn't need constructs to deal with Sinestro. However, Sinestro hadn't forgotten about his own power ring.

A blast of powerful yellow energy headed for Hal and he frantically created a construct shield in front of himself. Of course, it did nothing against the yellow energy and Hal was thrown back through a portal returning him to his own universe.

When Hal hit the concrete pavement in Coast City, he cursed and resigned himself to fixing all those yellow signs alone. No way would he go after Sinestro again. He hated Qward, he hated the Korugarian who resided there and he hated how the encounter had affected him so much.


End file.
